bwalters
has rocks in the head
Member since March 2004
Posts: 557
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Post by bwalters on May 10, 2004 23:20:43 GMT -5
Sir Roxalot, I know exactly what you mean by getting to choose which 20 hours of the day you want to work when you own your own business. I had my own business for a little over 20 years.......until last Nov. Lost my lease. Still too soon to tell, but that might turn out to be one of the best things that has ever happened to me.
And here I am, tumbling rocks, and coming up with new ideas every day for things to make with rocks, that then I will need to sell, so then I will be in business again. Seems a little like a vicious circle, doesn't it?
Oh well, keeps me off the streets!
I finished my first 3 crosses and Llana came by today and took pics of them. She said she will figure out how to get them posted for me. They're far from perfect, but since they're my very 1st completed rock project, I can't wait for you all to see them!
Barbara
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Post by rockyraccoon on May 11, 2004 1:34:12 GMT -5
i want to do my countertops in ceramic then come in with the tumbled stones on the backsplash. i'm thinking tumble them through pre-polish, install and grout them, buff with fine grit pad then polish. do you think it will work?
kim
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Post by rockyraccoon on May 11, 2004 9:28:19 GMT -5
hmmmmmmmm, maybe go on and polish them, use a sealer before the grout then clean?
kim
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MichiganRocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
"I wasn't born to follow."
Member since April 2007
Posts: 154
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Post by MichiganRocks on May 11, 2004 10:10:56 GMT -5
Hey Kim, I think I'd go with option number two. Op one seems like it could end up being a lot of work, and your polish probably would be less than you get tumbling.
Ron
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Post by rockyraccoon on May 11, 2004 22:34:14 GMT -5
ron - i've got a lot of tumbling to do before i'll have enough to go all the way around and i'm guessing marble/natural stone cleaner/polish products would work for upkeep.
kim
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Post by cookie3rocks on May 11, 2004 23:25:19 GMT -5
Don't know about you guys, but there are a lot of little shops in my area that sell tumbled stone by the peice for, say .50 each if they are pretty and shiney. I know a lady that has a shop very close to my store that may be willing to do that on consignment. I'm also allways looking for gift ideas I can do myself. A lot of great ideas here!
cookie
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RiverOtter
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2004
Posts: 339
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Post by RiverOtter on May 13, 2004 15:55:36 GMT -5
I am currently in the process of making a dagger for my husband. Well, not REALLY making it myself, but I am tumbling the emerald that will be set in the hilt! The mosaic thing is something we plan to do as well. We are planning on eventually remodeling our kitchen. We are going to have a large island in it with one side being a bar where you can sit. I want to make a fairly large mosaic landscape tile from all the teeny-tiny rocks I have and place it in the middle of the bar. Kind of a conversation piece. I have a niece who is getting into wire wrapping so I told her that I would provide her with all the polished stone she could handle!!
Otter
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Post by puppie96 on May 17, 2004 3:33:28 GMT -5
I worked an art & craft show this weekend, a mid-upscale supposedly juried show, and noticed that there were no vendors selling things (other than jewelry) made with polished stones. There were vast numbers of jewelry vendors, many with a lot of beautiful natural stone. Art glass and mosaics were big, too, and nice, but made primarily with glass tile. So it occurs to me that around here, at least, there's a wide open market for interesting things made with polished stones.
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bwalters
has rocks in the head
Member since March 2004
Posts: 557
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Post by bwalters on May 17, 2004 18:36:09 GMT -5
WOW! ;D A wide open market sounds great! I hope that's true around here, too, cuz I have a whole bunch of ideas for interesting things that I want to create with polished stones!
I'm working on my 2nd project now, a 'Heart of Stone'. I've known some people in my life that I suspected of having a heart of stone but I've never seen one that could be displayed on a table or hung on a wall. HAHA!
Barbara
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Post by puppie96 on May 18, 2004 2:23:52 GMT -5
Barbara, Have you got a pic of your "heart of stone"? Sounds like a great idea. Do you go to art & craft shows and if so, have you seen any polished rock stuff?
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bwalters
has rocks in the head
Member since March 2004
Posts: 557
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Post by bwalters on May 18, 2004 16:45:19 GMT -5
Maybe I can get Llana to come take a pic of the heart when I get it finished like she did with my crosses. I'm making it much the same way that I did the crosses, but I'm going to try and make the epoxy finish thicker. Don't know if it will work, or not! Llana and I have talked of taking our stuff to craft shows, but we haven't been able to get enough stuff made yet. I made 3 of the crosses, but I gave them all away. We saw some cool looking clay flower pots covered mosaic style with polished stones at the last rock show that we went to. I don't remember seeing any other polished stone projects there, except for jewelry, of course. Barbara
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Post by cookie3rocks on May 18, 2004 19:15:39 GMT -5
Oh, the options are endless! Years (whoa, Many yaers) ago I painted tennis shoes. Customized them. My mother still pulls out the Christmas pair I made for her probably 20 years ago. But, instead of selling them, I gave them away to my friends. When they all had a pair, nobody needed to buy any and I lost intrest. I had a pair of holstien cow high tops that everyone loved, I just never went anywhere with it. You girls jump on the oppurtunity and make it happen. There is obviously a market waiting to be tapped ;D
cookie
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on May 18, 2004 20:36:50 GMT -5
I was at Barbara's today and saw her Heart of Stone. It's neat looking. Didn't have my camera though because I stopped on the way home.
I am going to do some coasters as soon as I have enough rocks. Can't decide if I want to cut slabs in various sizes and shapes and use them, or just use polished rocks. Would have to use a much thicker coat of the gloss finish to make sure they are level. I think either way they would be neat looking.
I haven't been to an arts and crafts show or a flea market in ages so don't know if there are any crafts people that do polished rock stuff. I would bet there's not though. There's a huge flea market in SA every weekend. I want to go some day soon and browse around and see if there is any rock stuff. Also want to get some stuff made and take it there one of these days.
llana
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Post by puppie96 on May 19, 2004 3:14:04 GMT -5
The flowerpots sound cool. I was thinking of the obvious mosaic thing. I know this would be perfect for one thing I have in mind -- I was going to give my 3 bro's and sis's-in-law some tumbled rocks from their mom's backyard -- she died at the end of 2003 -- figured it for a Christmas gift this year. Then I got to thinking how much cooler it would be if I did something with them like a mosaic. What do you guys think?
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bwalters
has rocks in the head
Member since March 2004
Posts: 557
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Post by bwalters on May 19, 2004 20:10:43 GMT -5
I think that making keepsakes for them from rocks tumbled from their mom's backyard is a great idea! I bet that's not something other folks would have (or even think of).
Barbara
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